WA’s City of Cockburn Council will seek Minister for Planning approval to update its Town Planning Scheme (TPS) to include specific orders to provide greater protection for trees included on its Significant Tree List.
Councl’s Significant Tree List, which forms part of its Local Government Inventory, currently contains 27 individual listings of trees and stands of multiple trees on private property that are considered of landmark historical, commemorative, cultural, social, scientific, visual, aesthetic or ecological value.
The proposed update to the City’s Town Planning Scheme No.3 would include Tree Preservation Orders in addition to the Significant Tree List, to protect significant trees into the future.
The scheme amendment would do this by providing a clear framework and process for the creation, amendment or revocation of tree preservation orders, and the ability to impose an emergency order where there is an imminent risk of damage to a specified tree.
It would also include an updated interpretation of the elements of tree preservation, orders and their registration, the destruction and biosecurity of trees, and notice of decisions.
Acting Chief of Natural and Built Environment, Carol Catherwood said the proposed update to the City’s TPS was a response to growing development pressure and change throughout the City.
“The preservation of trees which contribute to the local area for their historical, cultural, social, aesthetic or ecological value is becoming more important,” Ms Catherwood said.
“The City was keen to investigate introducing improved, robust and enforceable statutory provisions to better protect trees that are on the City’s Significant Tree List.
“The proposed amendment has many advantages including preservation criteria not being confined to cultural heritage matters, and allowing for immediate protection of a tree, reducing the risk that it could be removed before being included on the List.
“Including Tree Preservation Orders as part of the City’s Town Planning Scheme also provides a more robust legal framework in cases of prosecution of unauthorised removal of trees on the List.”
At its July meeting, Council also requested a further amendment to the TPS that would require development approval for the removal or substantial pruning of trees in areas of the City where it has development control.
It would allow for reasonable exemptions, including for trees that were diseased or a recognised weed species.
The further amendment is motivated by the WA Local Government Association’s recent endorsement of a new urban forest advocacy position of a minimum tree canopy target of 30% by 2040 for the Perth and Peel regions, the Council said in a statement.